Manifolding machine



May 19, 1931. H. w. cARRoLL, JR 14,805,041

MANIFOLDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 1 E J. ,HN S E @uff/MW s mi May 19; LY1,931. H. w; CARROLL, JR

MANIFLDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1.927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In vcnor H. l( YroZZ, fr B3 @M .Ill ...l III mm S Patented May 19, 1931 narran sraras ramen PATENT @FFICE HEZEKIAH Vil'. CARROLL, JR., 0F HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY- ASSIGNOR T0 AUTOGRAPHIC REGSTER COMPANY, OF HOBOKFN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION F NEW" JERSEY MANIFOLDING liIACI-IINE Application ed February 21, 1927.

This invention relates to manifolding machines, and more particularly to the type of manifolding machine adapted to store a record copy within a suitable compartment provided for the purpose.

Heretofore, many attempts have been made to provide a record-storing .device by means of which previously Zig-Zag folded record forms might refold in the record compartment to provide a` smooth pack or pile therein. But, with these proposals it has been found that due to variations in paper qualities and other changing characteristics such as atmospheric condition, these record tickets would not invariably refold properly in the record compartment.

It has also been discovered, in connection with registers of the kind named, both the type in which the record strip is cut into separate record tickets and the type in which the record strip is caused to refold in zigzag fashion, that the separation of the record strip from the worksheets, which are issued from the machine, greatly facilitates the control and positioning of the record tickets in the record compartment. To accomplish this, the present invention provides a separator which is located between the feed and pressure rollers and is made so thin and of such hard material as to occupy very little space between the issue and record ticket. Preferably, the separator blade is pivotally mounted so that it may accommodate itself to the rise and fall movements of the paper in advancing, as for instance when folded portions of the strip approach the bight of the feed and pressure rollers.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings which show one form of the present invention, that at present preferred- Figure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a manifolding machine showing the record compartment and the refolding means therem made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of the refolding mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Serial No. 169,697.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side sectional view of the feed mechanism, showing the improved separator provided by the present invent-ion, and the manner in which it'separates the sheets in use.

Fig. 4 is a. side sectional View similar to Fig. 1, but showing one of the positions that the piled-up record strip may assume inthe operation of the device.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the separator of the present invention showing the related parts.

In the drawings, the delivery end portion only of the manifolding 'machine is shown, beca-use only that part is needed to satisfactorily explain the application of the present invention thereto. At the delivery end of the manifolding machine, there is as usual provided feed rollers 10 and pressure rollers 11, the latter being mounted in floating bracket 12, whose lower ends are provided with springs 13 anchored at 14E on the side plates 15 of the manifolding machine, so that the pressure rollers 11 bear against the feed rollers 10 with sufficient pressure to advance the issue-strips 16 andthe record-strip 17. Both the issue-strips 16 and the record-strip 17 before passing between the feed rollers 20 and pressure rollers 11 are drawn over a platen 18 upon which the writing operation is performed. From the platen .the strips 16 and 17 pass under a hood 19 for the pressure roller, and then at the othersi-de of the feed mechanism the issue-strips 16 are deflected upwardly out through an opening 20 constituted by the tearing-off edge 21 forming part of the hood 19 and a portion 22 ofa top plate or cover 23 `for the record supply compartment 241. Y

The record-strip 17 does not pass out through the opening 20 but extends downwardly under the portion 22 of the top plate 23 into the record .compartment 24, where, as below described, it is caused by mechanism to refold upon pre-existing perforated and folded lines. These lines, as usual, mark the ends of each form on the issue and recordstrips 16 and 17. The issue-strips, which eX- tend out through the opening 20, are as usual severed from the machine by drawing .the

perforated lines on the strips over the tearing-off bar 21 after the strips have been fed out a form length. The behavior of the record strip 17 in the record compartment will be described below.

Before doing` this, however, attention is called to the provision by the present invention of improved means for insuring` the ceitain and complete separation of the issue and record strips as they are passing through the feed mechanism of the machine so as to prevent the perforated and folded portions of the one set of strips from dragging on the other and to prevent said portions of the strips from creeping up into the spaces 27 and 28 which exist between the hood 19 and the pressure roller 11.

This separator comprises a thin, hard sheet-metal plate 30 having trunnions 31 at the forward end of its side margin which engage holes in the brackets 12 carying the pressure roller 11. The trunnions 31 and the holes therefor are so located in the separator plate 30 and the bracket 12 respectively, that the separator plate 30 will lie in a plane coinciding substantially with the bight of the feed rollers 10 and the pressure rollers 11, and so that the plate extends rearwardly to engage and smooth out the perforated and folded portion of the issue-strips 16 and the record-strip 17 and separate the one from the other, the issue-strips 16 going over the plate 30 while the record-strip 17 is directed under the plate 30. The plate 30 is provided with cut out portions 33 in the vicinity of the feed rollers 10 and pressure rollers 11 so as to permit the issue-strips 16 to be deflected downwardly and the record-strip 17 to be defiected upwardly into the apertures 33 where said strips engage each other and by means of the rotation of the feed rollers 10 and pressure rollers 11 and the friction produced therebetween are caused to feed when such opera-tion is intended. y

At its front end, the separating plate 30 functions to prevent the issuestrips 16 from being dragged down into the record compartment under the portion 22 of the top plate 23, because at this point the issue-strips 16 are separated from the record-strip 17 and, moreover, there is very little space left between the portion 22 under which the record strip travels and the front end of the separating plate 30 into which the issue-strips could pass.

The separating plate 30 described above may advantageously be used in any type of manifolding machine whether the recordstrip is retained in the machine or not. However, it is particularlyT advantageous in case where the recordestrip is liable to meet with tome obstacle against which it must be pushed or by reason of which it must flex one way or the other. Hence, it is extremely advantageous to use the separator plate in connection with manifolding machines of the record-storing type in which the record-strip usually, and in accordance with the present invention, actually does meet with some resistances or retarding action in being fed into the record compartment.

Having described the way in which the rec ord-strip and issue-strips are separated in accordance with this invention, the refolding mechanism will now be described.

It has been found in practice that when the record compartment 25 is provided with no mechanism of any kind, and there are no deflectors or other means for handling the record-strip, the previously folded and perforated record-strips fed from a supply compartment as indicated at S by the feed mechanism, upon entering the record compartment and being allowed absolute freedom therein, might refold of its own accord and continue to do so for some little time. But before long, the strips get balled-up and do not fold upon the previously folded and perforated lines. The reasons for this erratic operation of the strip are many, a slight variation in quality of the paper or a slight variation in depth of the perforations on the folded line or a slight inaccuracy in the fold along the Aline of perforations might cause this sudden change in theaction of the paper.

Hence, means have been provided, heretofore, for the purpose of assisting the rec-` ord-strip so that, even if the tendency to fold be very slight, the assisting mechanism will insure the fold at the proper place. Some of these previously proposed devices have been found to materially reduce the danger yof balling-up the record strip in the record compartment. Yet, it has been found that even with such proposals occasionally the record strip would not fold as it was intended along the said folded and perforated lines, but would curl up in the machine, and` finally, due to the accumulation of paper immediately in front of the delivery side of the feed rollers cause the machine to jam.

The present invention, however, avoids this danger of the record-strip balling-up in the record compartment so long as there is no tearor other serious damage in the recordstrip itself before it gets to the record compart-ment.

This is accomplished, according to the present invention, by providing means which cause the record-strip in the record compartment to either fold accurately on the line or to assume an unusual position which expert ments have shown to be the most natural position for causing the strip to refold. The means provided for this'purpose by the present invention comprise a supporting plate 34 hinged at 35 to the top plate or cover 23 of the record compartment 24. This supporting plate is shown in detail in Fig. 2, and has at its lower end a rolled part 36 which prevents CCD the supporting plate from tearing the recordstrip or from being caught accidentally thereon.

This supporting plate 34 is located directly in the path of the record-strip 17 as it is issued from the feed mechanism comprising the feed rollers 10 and pressure rollers 11, and in this position it defiects downwardly the leading edge of the record-strip so that the same will engage the bottom plate 24 of the record compartment 24. If the folds between the form lengths of the record-strip 17 are sharp and there is no peculiar characteristics above the paper to prevent easy folding of the record-strip along the folded line, the

record-strip will pass under the supporting` pla-te 34 and assume its natural folded position in the supply compartment, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, when one form is fed, and the position shown in dot-and-dash lines 37 shown in Fig. 1 when the next form is fed. The full lines show the position the strip occupies when the record-strip is folded to the right as seen in Fig. 1, and the dot-and-dash lines 87 indicate the position the strip will be in when the next form length of the recordstrip is fed. The fold 38 of the record-strip shown in Fig. 1, will then lie down on the pile 39 while the fold 40, which is up near the feed mechanism see Fig. 1, will lie at 41 on the pile 39.

Vhen, however, a. fold is reached which is not so sharp and where the tendency for the sheets to fold by falling freely and passing under the supporting plate 34 does not exist,

the record strip is held-up by the supporting plate 34 and is not permitted to fall. Thereafter, as the forms are fed, the record-strip is folded Zig-zag in a curved or curvilinear form, the upper end being near the top of the supporting plate 34 and the lower end resting against a wall 42 provided in the record compartment, as shown in Fig. 4. Further referring to this ligure, the full lines shov.- the position which the record-strip assumes when the fold 38 is against the pile 44 supported by the supporting plate 34 and the fold 40 in the reverse direction is adjacent the delivery side of the feed-rollers l() and pressure-rollers 11. Vhen the next form length of the record-strip is fed by the feed mechanism, the fold 40 is carried down until it lies at 46 as shown by the dot-and-dash lines 47 where the fold 46 is against the plate 42.

Experience has shown that the record-strip 17 folds more accurately and positively while in the inclined curvilinear form shown in Fig. 4 with the folds 38 and 41 located at substantially the same distance from the delivery side of the feed mechanism than by merely depending on the strips falling in proper position. by themselves.

Then the dept-h of the curved pile 44 of the folded record-strips increases, the weight and tension thereof moves the supporting plate 34 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4, and, as soon as the weight and tension become sufficient, the plate 34 slips up and allows the pile 44 to drop upon the previously folded pile 39, Fig. 4. Thereafter, as the advancement of the strips continues, the folded record strip 17 may slip by the supporting plate 34 or it may not, depending upon the conditions of the folds, but eventually conditions will arise wherein the folded record-strip does not pass the supporting plate 34 and then the record strip continues to pile up against the plate 34 until the condition shown in Fig. 4 exists.

Upon discovery that some parts of the record-strip refold better in a curved position, such as shown in Fig. 4, experiments were made to ascertain whether it would be advantageous to cause the record-strip to assume this position from the very beginning. However, these experiments have shown that when the record-strip 17 piles up against the supporting plate 34 to a pile of sufficient thickness for handling a pack of strips, enough room is not left between the top of the pile and the feed mechanism for proper refolding.

By malring the supporting plate 34 of the desired weight or by suitably biasing it by spring means and by changing its position with relation to the feed mechanism as permitted by a screw 60 located in a slot 61 in a plate 62 on which the supporting plate 34 is pivotally mounted, the thickness of the pile 44, which is supported by the plate 34, may be' accurately predetermined, and hence by so arranging the supporting plate 34 it can be made to permit an escape of the pile 44 before the top of the pile too closely appro-aches the delivery side of the feed mechanism.

To assist the record-strip in folding to the right, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4, and to cause the folded edges adjacent the backing plate 42 to lie close thereto, the plate 42 is provided with a deflector 48 which extends upwardly towards the pivot point of the supporting plate 34 for about half the distance between that point and the backing plate 42 and then extends backwardly and upwardly toward the feed-rollers 10. Adjacent the feed rollers 10, the deflector 48 is slitted or cut-out to provide fingers 49 to extend between the feed-rollers 10 so that it may receive and guide the record strip 17 as it leaves the feedl rollers.

For the purpose yof determining the position of the pile 39 and 39 in the record compartment, there is provided a front plate 5ml against which the right-hand-fold edges l of the record-strip engage.

Otherwise, the record compartment may be of any suitable form or style having a front end 52 and a sliding or pivoted top door 23 as in the form shown. When the .llli

door 23,-by means of which access is had to the pile, is hinged as at 53 it is preferable to have the portion 22 thereto which extends under the tearing off edge 21 of the hood hinged thereto at 5l, so that, when the door is closed the portion 22 is swung downwardly on the hinge 54 enabling the leading edge of the portion 22 to extend under the tearingolf bar 2l, thereafter the movement of the door is completed and the portions 22 align with the main portions of the door 23.

To aid in deflecting the record stri) 17 and to prevent the perforated and folded margins of the forms from catching on the hinge 5d, a deflector plate 55 is secured to the front edge of the portion 22.

0f course, if desired, the supporting plate 3d may be hinged to the side plate 56 of the record compartment. However, it is advantageous to have it hinged on the door 23, because by such an arrangement when the door 23 is swung lupwardly to give access to the record compartment the supporting plate 3e is automatically withdrawn therefrom, and free access is had to trie foldedrecord strip 17 in the record compartment.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired i to obtain Letters Patent, is:

'1. ln a manifolding machine having a platen over which worksheets are fed; and means for feeding said worksheets over the platen: means located at said feeding means for separating certain of the worksheets from others as they approach and leave said feeding means.

2. lna manifolding machine. having a platen over which a plurality of previously perforated and creased webs are adapted to be fed; and means for feeding said webs over said platen, said feeding means comprising a pair of cooperating feed rollers: means located in the plane of the line of contact of said feed rollers for separating certainof said previously perforated and folded webs as they approach and leave the feed rollers.

3. in a manifolding machine having a platen over which a plurality of webs are fed; and cooperating feed rollers for advancing said webs over said platen: a thin hard al plate located the plane of the line of contact of, and adjacent said feed rollers wit i portionsat each side of the feed rollers to separate certain` of said webs from others as they approach and leave the feed rollers.

l. ln a manifolding machine having a platen over which a-plurality of webs are fed; and cooperating feed rollers for advancsaid webs over the platen; a thin separater located in the plane of the line of contact of, and adjacent said feed rollers with portions at each side of the feed rollers for separating certain of said webs from others as they approach and leave the feed rollers.

5.1n a manifolding machine having a platen over which a plurality of webs are fed; feed rollers for advancing said webs; pressure rollers for cooperating with said feed rollers to advance said webs; and a pair of brackets for carrying said pressure rollers: thin metal plate pivotally mounted in said bracket and located in the plane of the line of contact of, and adjacent said. feed rollers with portions at each side of the feed rollers for separating said webs as they approach and leave the feed rollers and pressure rollers.

6. ln a. manifolding machine having a platen over which a plurality of webs are. fed; and cooperating feed rollers for advancing said webs over the platen: thin metal strip located in the plane of the line of contact of, and adjacent said feed rollers with portions at each side of the feed rollers to direct certain of said strips upwardly and certain of said strips downwardly as they approach the feed rollers, said plate being provided with I apertures through which the upwardly di rected webs are pressed downwardly into contact with the downwardly deflected webs which` are pressed upwardly'bringing the webs into Contact with each other and the feed rollers for strip-advancement.

7. In a manifolding machine having a platen over which aplurality of webs are fed; cooperating feed rollers for advancing said webs over the platen; and a hood for covering part of said feed mechanism: means located in the plane of the line of contact of said feed rollers and extending across the space necessarily provided between said feed mechanism and said hood.

8. In a manifolding machine having a platen over which a plurality of webs is fed; and cooperating feed rollers for advancing said webs over the platen: means pivotally mounted in the plane of the line of Contact of said feed rollers for separating the webs in the vicinity of the feed rollers.

9. In a manifolding machine having a platen over which a plurality of webs is fed; feed rollers for advancing said webs over the platen; pressure rollers for holding the webs in contact with the feed rollers; and brackets carrying said pressure rollers and movable to release the pressure between the pressure rollers andthe feed rollers: a thin metal plate pivotally mounted in said bracket for separating the webs as they approach and leave the feed rollers and the pressure rollers.

Signed at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, this 16th day of February, 1927.

HEZEKIAH `W. CARROLL, Jn. 

